Doors of Solitude
by IsamashiiKamui
Summary: "No matter what you hear, no matter what feel, and no matter what you see. You must complete the process or fail to start all over again."
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Growing up I had a tough childhood, mom and dad would always argue, and I struggled constantly in school. We lived in a trailer by the woods in the far back of my grandma's house. We were pretty much isolated with the exception of the trailer beside us. And trees- so many trees, I remember hearing in the woods of what sounded like a broken branch, it sounded like a rocking chair. Needless to say things got worst and me and mom moved away, wasn't until later that they got divorced.

Fast forward until now and here we are again moving to another new home, rather an apartment which will become our new home, because of a hurricane that caused a tree to fall on our house. Trees seem to be the recurring theme as of late.

"Lucas, did you hear me?" my mom asked taking me out of my thoughts.

"I'm sorry what?"

"See, you didn't even listen."

"I'm sorry what was the question again?"

"How do you feel about us moving into an apartment. It's a change of pace right?"

I can be very detached sometimes so I didn't really care much about us moving in an apartment.

"I mean I guess it's fine." She caught on to my nonchalant demeanor as all moms catch on to their child's feelings.

"Don't be like that, it's a new setting, new environment, what could be so bad?"

After a few hours we finally made it to the apartment complex. We unloaded everything although we didn't unpack yet. The apartment had a kitchen on the right with a pantry, a living room on the left. Two rooms one at the end of the hallway and the other on the left side, and a bathroom on the right side near the end of the hallway. I went into the room on the left where there was a bed in the left corner of the room. There was a window a few inches beside the bed on the right, and a closet on the right side of the room. By the time we were finished it was almost 7:00 and mom wanted to go to bible study at a church 15 minutes near where we live.

I was unpacking my stuff in my room which really looked bland. Then again I mostly went to school so there was really no point in decorating. Mom came to my doorway.

"Lucas, I'm heading out you sure you don't want to come?"

"Yeah, I'm good besides I still need to unpack a few other things"

She looked at me worriedly, she hates when I'm alone.

"Well okay, call me if you need anything."

I could tell she wanted to say something else and I was right.

"Lucas it will get better it'll take some time but it will."

I looked at her trying to muster a tired smile.

"I know." I said as I placed the box on the floor near the closet door.

We both said our 'I love you's' and she left out locking the door.

I went to turn on the TV in the living room and flopped on the couch. My eyes feeling heavy and burning for sleep, I take a look at the clock before dozing off, it was exactly 7:00 on the dot.

I hope mom made it, she hates being late for things.

"Have you ever felt a sadness so deep that you felt alienated from the world? Have you ever felt so dreadful that you felt your heart dropped and your breaths quickening?"

"What? I don't understand what you're saying."

"Like a melancholic silence, you hide your fears with tears of something that may never happen."

"You will constantly repeat the process Lucas."

My eyes went wide from my name being called, I got up to see if mom was back calling her name with no response. I looked at the clock-still 7:00 but how maybe the clock wasn't working. I didn't think much of it. That's when I realized that the tv was off, I was sure that I left it on, it was probably trying to save power. I went to turn on the light basically hugging the wall to find the switch, I finally found it and flipped it. Trying to adjust to the light that stabbed my eyes, I went to the kitchen to find something to snack on. As I was scavenging I heard the tv come to life.

I headed back trying to come up with something as to why the tv came on. The only thing shown was static. That shouldn't be possible since we have cable. I went for the remote to try and change the channel.

"You're...alone...aren't you?"

My heart stopped and I became frozen for a split second. How would anyone know that unless I was being watched. The thought of someone outside the window staring at me ate away at my sanity. I didn't muster up the courage to check nor was I going to. I quickly went to unplug the tv, for a second I thought that unplugging the tv would still result in the tv being on. I watch a lot of horror movies.

It wasn't the voice that really scared me but how its tone was. It sounded monotonous and devoid of emotion, and at the same time mockingly and sinister. I tried to get the thought out of my head to no avail. I called mom to see where she was, and as if on cue the lights suddenly went off.

My heart started racing and my chest started to hurt. My breaths started quickening and I became a little dizzy. I was having another panic attack. I had to will myself to stay calm because I'll pass out if I don't. Her phone kept ringing and then went to voicemail. Why didn't she pick up? So I called the police, line busy. Nothing worked so in my last effort I turned on my flashlight and ran to the door.

There were many thoughts invading my mind as I was trying to open the door. What if the person was waiting for me outside, what if he was just waiting to ambush me or kidnap me, what if there were more than one of them? I couldn't fathom what those horrors would be like, but I promised as soon as I opened this door I would run away so fast and try to find help if possible. I opened the door-it was...boarded up?!

"What the hell?!" it took me a while to figure out that it was my own voice that yelled. More thoughts ran across my head. Who would be so desperate as to board up the apartment? Being in shock was an understatement. I just froze for a minute if not longer, but I had to quickly dissipate it, there was the window. Just like the door completely boarded up. I felt a hope I didn't even know I had died. It felt like something just completely drained me. I could swear that I felt tears coming out of my eyes. Cries of panic.

"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!" I cried frantically for what seem like hours my voice becoming rasp. What was the point no one could hear me. I hated all of this, I hated the darkness that just seem to swallow me whole and enjoyed every last minute of it. Even though I had a flashlight, the darkness still seem to close in on me.

"Please help." A voice that was hidden in the darkness. I felt myself sinking who else would be here-in my house.

"Please help me." the voice said again pleading. It didn't take me long to figure out where the voice came from-my room. I turned the flashlight going down the hallway turning to my room. My heart skipped a beat, there was a little boy, no older than six it seem, in my room curled up into a ball crying. I wanted to faint right there, but the wall caught me before I fell. The kid looked pale almost glowing, as if he was outlined, I was able to see him clearly in the darkness. Although the flashlight did help me see him no one should be able to glow like that.

I mustered up the little courage I had "wh- wh-who are you?"

The boy quickly looked up at me, for someone so pale, he looked- normal. His eyes seem to be red and puffy like he's been crying for a long time. Dark black short hair and he was wearing a white t shirt and brown shorts.

"Please you have to help me he's gonna come for me." he came to me hugging my leg. The older brother in me awoken. I crouched down and hugged him to try and protect him like a parent and child. I have to help him somehow but who was coming for him? Another question raised into my head-why can I touch him? He felt warm.

A sudden realization hit me and an incomprehensible dread fell over me-there was someone else in the room with us. I turned only to see complete darkness. I tried to adjust my eyes thinking to myself that maybe I was just going crazy from the fear, that my mind was just playing with me. So I willed myself to adjust to the darkness...there was a very slim figure, no taller than maybe 6 feet, in the corner of the room left of me, staring at me, even though I couldn't see it's eyes.

I say 'it' because no human had hands the way it did, long slim fingers reaching out to me, or so I thought. It was pointing to the boy. I quickly turn my flashlight on pointing at the figure only to find it gone. I quickly picked up the boy running to the doorway.

"Wh w-wh- where are we g-g-going, wha- wh- what happened?!" the boy looked at me panicked and frightened. Could he not see the figure? That just made me want to help him even more so I hugged him tightly. As soon as I made it to the hallway, I froze not because of fear but because I literally couldn't move. Something had stuck me in place, as I turned my eyes back to my room only to see the figure staring at me again only this time it wasn't so kind. I tried to say something but then the boy was yanked from my arms. His cries breaking me, I couldn't take that.

"LET HIM GOOO!" my blood was boiling and I almost got out of whatever the figure had cast on me. I guess the figure saw I was getting out and immediately I was thrown back with such force that I hit the wall. I lost my breath for a moment, then lost consciousness. As my vision started fading I could hear yells and cries of the boy and then silence.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_There was a little boy, one who'd constantly play his games without a care in the world. The little boy who wanted to make friends, who would always smile. The little boy who had a dream to reach for the skies. In hopes of one day meeting worlds unbeknownst to him. The little boy who was enthusiastically naïve of the world. However, that little boy is all grown up now. He knows now the twisted deprivation of the world, he's aware of how 'little boys' are treated. To be deprived of a dream, to be looked down upon, to be isolated and mistreated. _

_He didn't grow up because of the world, no, he grew up in spite of it. This recurring dream of his reminds him of the prison that he was enclosed in, giving him a longing to be accepted. He felt so pathetic to think that the world would ever love him, at least love him the way he wanted to be love. The bitter arguments and frequent mood swings, the overbearing stress of constantly feeling unworthy, underserving of his family, of his friends, of anyone that came in contact with him._

As I came to trying to gather my bearings. I realize that I was no longer in the hallway anymore, I was in a room. A room all too familiar, my old room, when we lived in the trailer. I've seen this dream many times before. It starts with me in the room making it to the hallway into the living room where I'd often see my parents. How they loved and embraced each other. I can remember when dad would wake me up from time to time and we'd go fishing, I also remember getting poison ivy. We had our family moments and we cherished them. Then something changed or maybe it was always there and I was just blind.

Those moments slowly became opaque to me. What was once laughter now became sadness, desperation, anger, and hatred. Arguments would happen out of the blue, and those arguments slowly became tones of abuse. One thing would lead to another and another and it'd soon start to affect me. It changed my perception of my family, the contents of my character, and poisoned my lifestyle. It was all there but like a shadow in the dark there were things I never knew about my family until now, the curse of abuse deep-rooted for generations. Maybe that was a good thing. I was soon greeted with the voices of my parents like always, going down the hallways into the living room to find my dad sitting in that same chair he always sits. Sitting there snoring while mom was cooking. Then she'll call me.

"Lucas, wash your hands, food's ready."

I would see the younger me hurriedly going into the bathroom because tonight was casserole night, and then he'd come running down the hall for his luxurious meal, fit for a king he thought. Only, I didn't see the little kid repetitiously running down the hall. There were no little pitter patters thumping the floor. No, but there was something else, looking at me from down the hall was none other than the dark, slim figure. Staring at me the way it did in the room, but this time its mouth slowly began to curve smiling, grinning from, if it had, ear to ear. The way its smile looked sent shivers down my spine and my heart skipped a beat. A mixture of slime and ooze dripped from it's mouth. I couldn't describe how scared I was, petrified maybe. I felt like I wanted to throw up from both disgust and anxiety.

I began to panic again, then I remembered the little boy. I tried calming myself taking short bursts of breaths.

"Where is the boy?" I tried asking between shaky breaths. The figure's smile dissipated slowly then headed back into the back room, door closing behind it. I knew it was a trap, but I also knew that I had to save the boy. I truly didn't understand why I knew that maybe it was what some would call intuition. I followed it but not before turning around, the living room had become old and decrepit, the walls were peeling and my parents were no longer there, I don't know why but a sadness came over me. I turned back around and headed to the door.

My eyes shot wide open, and I was back in the hallway. I quickly remembered where I was. I was knocked out from being thrown into a wall not sure how I managed to survive. I looked up at my door and it was closed. It may have closed when I was unconscious. I picked up my phone, flashlight still on. I opened it to see the little boy again, he was curled into a ball like last time except he was in the corner of the wall. However, I instantly knew something was wrong, the room looked distorted, ooze hanging and dripping from the walls and ceiling. I almost slipped which would be impossible since the floor was made of carpet, but after all I've seen this far I put it into the back of my mind.

I looked back at the boy trying to get a feel of what was going on, like when people have a feeling of the atmosphere or reading a situation, still not moving. He was so lively before, even though he was frightened last time, but now he just felt...cold. Not in a way of someone's passing, but he felt lonely and-angry.

I wanted to reach out to him and just hold him. Before I could call out to him.

"Why am I here?" his backed still facing me.

"Why am I the one going through this?" I felt a tight pressure in my chest, and my heart started to hurt for him.

"I-I-I don't know" I said carefully.

"Of course you don't." his tone had such venom.

I felt his anger rising, this could be the defining moment. So I was very careful with my approach and how I'd say things.

"Why do people treat me the way they do.?"

"How do they treat you?"

"THEY HATE ME!" the sudden outburst startled me.

"They treat me like I'm some sort of monster!" he started to tremble.

"How do you see yourself?" I don't know why that question came to mind or why I asked it.

"I hate myself, I hate everything about me."

I couldn't help but pity him. Something inside me felt a deep sadness that I couldn't explain.

"Do you hate me?" he asked as if confirming something.

"Of course I don't hate you."

"You're lying." He said under his breath, I did hear him if only faintly.

"I'm not-."

"Yes you are!" he said he said abruptly.

" I can't hate some-"

"LIAR!"the boy turned and his face was distorted with anger, I'd even go as far as to say resentment. But what really stood out to me was his eyes, the eyes that were so full now seem devoid, it was pitch black and instead of tears coming down his face there was a black ooze streaming down, like the walls. I stood there in horror, not of fear but of what he became.

I reached out to him.

"It's not a lie." I said trying to reassure him.

He looked down in distraught, but there was something else-shame and guilt.

As soon as I was in arm's reach of him I was thrown up to the ceiling.

"I hate them, all of them." he looked up at me coldly.

"How would you know if someone hates you, maybe there's been a misunderstanding, and you're only assuming." I regretted as soon as those words came out of my mouth. He looked up at me his eyes had an intensity that could bore a hole into me, like the saying goes if looks can kill.

"I know they hate me, they would tell others to stop hanging out with me . They would stop hanging out with me and give me looks of disgust, as if I don't belong, they would make up LIES about me." even when I was l looking at him he still seem just a little boy despite this feeling of empowerment he had.

Why am I feeling like this with a boy I don't even know? Not only that but I was at this boy's mercy, anyone with common sense would be scared out of their wits pleading for their lives. However, I couldn't bring myself to hate nor be scared of him. I tried so hard to figure out why, closing my eyes thinking of reasons. I had a flashback of when I was a kid, I'd remember how much I was mistreated for no reason from family and friends. How much all of that affected me and who I became.

That's when it hit me, we were both so alike it was scary. The mistreatment of others, the cold eyes, the unnatural anger. This little boy was just like-me.

The sudden epiphany that hit me overwhelmed me. My eyes became blurry and started to warm up. Just like the little boy in front of me I also cried. I was let down from the ceiling realizing that there were ooze-like tendrils wrapped around me camouflaged in the darkness. The little boy looked at me confused. I quickly went to him and hugged him again this time tightly. He looked up at me, the black eyes disappearing fading back into its normal state, horrified. I turned to find the figure again at the doorway. The lights started flickering violently. The figure tried to lunge at me, but it started burning along with the ooze that cascaded my room. Steam coming out of its body, it wailed. It took one last effort to lunge at me and within a few inches away from completely mauling me the lights came back on dissipating the figure and the ooze and turning the room back to normal.

I looked up at the ceiling thanking God there was light. I looked back down to the boy- he was gone! What just happened? I laid there for at least 10 to 15 minutes just processing it all. I got up to check and see if mom was back, she was sleeping in her room. With a sigh of relief, I went to look at the clock and it was 9:00 pm. There was no way I could go to sleep after what happened. So I went to go wash up and then head into living room to turn the tv on. With everything that's happened, my body started to feel heavy. It wasn't long before I started to doze off even though part of me didn't want to fall asleep in case something else would happen. I tried to fight it but sleep won of course.

"You fight for what you desire, however, some desires are better left unquenched. Beware of the lady in the red dress Lucas."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

There was that voice again a voice of a man. I can't tell if this voice is trying to help me or if it's trying to trick me. I heard the tv come on as I was waking up to mom's cooking it was 7:54.

"Oh, good morning."

"Morning." I got up and went to the bathroom to wash my face.

"I have to go to work, the food is ready make sure to turn the stove off. I love you!" mom yelled.

I turned the sink off and started reaching for a towel on the rack.

I heard the door shut. Mom wouldn't get off work until about nine.

I headed into the kitchen to turn the stove off and got some eggs and bacon, wasn't really that hungry to be honest. I picked up the remote trying to find something to watch but nothing good was on. So I went to my room to get my PlayStation 4 and set it up. I haven't played the game since we moved. I turned it on and it needed an update because of course it does. After waiting for at least forty to forty-five minutes I was finally able to play it.

I've been playing the game since morning and it was already 1:00. Maybe I should take a break plus I was getting a little tired and a nap didn't sound so bad. I turned the game off and went to lay down on the couch. I checked my phone and got a message from mom saying that she'll bring something to eat after work, I put the phone on the arm of the chair. Once I started to close my eyes I heard water running, it was coming from my bathroom. I went to check on the sound and my sink was on. I was sure that I turned it off. I turned the sink off and went back to lay down.

"Lucas, wake up come join us."

"Come join us."

I heard voices of women in the room.

"Come join us, it's okay."

The voices sounded soothing and enticing.

**"COME JOIN US!"**

My eyes moved to the end of the couch and there was a woman drenched in blood standing there. The lights were dimmed, but there was no mistaking that there was blood sticking to her.

I tried to get up but couldn't move, I-I couldn't speak. I was paralyzed. The woman got closer and began to crawl on top of me. The closer she got the more I was able to make out her face. Eyes almost glowing white and mouth curling into a long smile as if a predator had finally caught its prey. She wrapped her hands around my neck and clenched hard. I couldn't do anything, I just laid there breathless and helpless. She closed in to my face and then open her mouth turning into a long slit. The top part of her head going back like a grotesque venus flytrap. I tried screaming but all that came out were muffled whimpers, no one would hear me. I closed my eyes trying to shut out the thing in front of me waiting for everything to end.

I woke up sweating, panicking, and crying. I felt disoriented for a little bit probably from getting up to fast. I went to the bathroom to go wash my face again, then headed back to turn the tv on, no sane person can sleep after that. Soon as I headed back into the living room, I heard the sink running again this time I actually did forget to turn it back off. I turned it off and went back into the living room.

A few minutes later and I heard a strange sound, I couldn't make out what it was so I went to check around the kitchen and living room. It didn't take me long to realize that the sound was coming from the bathroom. As I got closer to the bathroom the sound became clear, it sounded like something was dripping each drop sounded like a thunk. Whatever it was it wasn't water and the smell-the smell was putrid, harsh, and bitter overwhelming my senses.

I went into the bathroom covering my nose looking in the sink and there was nothing, the sound came from the bathtub. Once I looked in the smell made sense and I covered my mouth disgusted, and threw up in the toilet. The bathtub was filled with a small pool of blood. Where did it come from? As I was trying to recover I heard something hitting the wall in the hallway.

It sounded wet as if someone threw some liquid substance on the walls, the sound grew closer and closer. I hurriedly went to close the door, whatever that sound was it wasn't normal. I tried so hard to not overthink what it could be. I needed to call someone, I reached into my pocket.

"NOO!" I quickly covered my mouth because I didn't want to get caught by whatever was out there. I left my phone in the living room. I started panicking again breathing heavily but quietly. The sound stopped at the door making a smacking sound before knocking. It knocked in a rhythmic pattern. I stood there slowly trying to calm my breathing while covering my mouth.

"Lucas, are you there?"

It-sounded like mom.

"Honey, I brought you something to eat."

Hearing mom's voice at a time like this I would've been relieved, however, there was something out there, so I locked the door.

"Lucas, please come out, I love you."

"I love you."

"I love you."

**"I love you."**

I couldn't take it anymore and wanted to scream.

**"I Love You."**

I collapsed on the floor the voice was no longer at the door but behind me. I turned around to my horror and saw the blood in the tub grow, but it wasn't growing. There was something coming out, one arm and the next. Then a head full of black hair ascending slowly, it was the same woman in my dreams. I got up legs shaking from shock and fear trying to open the door.

**"Lucas, why didn't you opened the door?"**

I tried so hard to open the door frantically pulling on the knob not caring if it broke.

"PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!" it was just like last time, no would hear me, except this time it was worst, I was far away from the front door and windows for someone to hear me.

I pulled and pulled even hitting the doorknob and nothing worked, why am I locked in when the lock is inside. I paused feeling her cold breath on my neck, and I was afraid to turn around. I felt her hands touching my back and arms seductively. Her cold hands making me feel numb to the bone. Like the dream I was paralyzed except this time by fear. I felt my eyes watering blurring my vision. I turned my eyes to the mirror, looking at the woman. Her body was no longer that of a female but something deformed and twisted, and mouth agape, ready to devour me. I almost threw up again, but I was afraid if I made in sudden movements she would kill me.

"You didn't answer my question Lucas"

**"Why didn't you open the door?" **

I couldn't say anything, all I did was close my eyes praying that this was just a bad dream, even though I knew it wasn't. Please someone help me. As if on cue the sink came on, and the creature behind me started to stumble.

"LUCAS, RUN!" I heard a voice say.

I quickly pulled on the door, it was unlocked this time. I ran as fast as I could looking at the walls covered in bloody handprints and the floor was soaked from footprints. I went to get my phone and ran to the front door hoping it wasn't boarded up again. I unlocked it and to my relief it wasn't.

**"LUCASSS!" **I heard it scream as I was making my way out. I didn't turn around to see how far she was behind me, but I knew she was very close. I closed the front door behind me running as fast as I could. I wasn't going to stop until my body collapsed. Something caught my attention as I was running, the surrounding area. I-was no longer in the apartment complex.


End file.
